smith wesson m19

Daves-got-guns · February 5, 2007, 08:16 AM

i have my old grandfathers smith&wesson 19 and the side pannel will not come off, i take the 3 screws out i then remove the cylinder and the grip pannels but that side pannel will not budge. Any ideas?

Wvladimire · February 5, 2007, 12:16 PM

First I would check on line for a downloadable owners manual or schematic drawing to see if you have removed everything you need. Secondly I would use a a good solvent like brake cleaner to help loosen the wide panel. Spray it, let it sit, spray it again, let sit, and do it a third time. That may help. After all it's probably got years of crude built up in it that is making it stick.

Thanks

JoeHatley · February 5, 2007, 12:34 PM

Vibrate it off by smacking the grip frame with a plastic mallet or piece of wood.

Joe

mete · February 5, 2007, 12:59 PM

Never attempt to pry off side plates - you will damage them .Whack the grip frame with a mallet.

Rimrod · February 5, 2007, 01:29 PM

Right, it's not stuck, that's quality. When you tap it with your plastic mallet or piece of wood, hold it upside down with your hand directly underneath so it will fall into your hand. Then you can post another question and ask where that other piece goes that fell out too, if you can't figure it out. Never pry on a S&W sideplate.

HSMITH · February 5, 2007, 03:47 PM

Dribble some oil in it, down around the hammer and then up through the trigger. They don't need to come off for cleaning but ever 25K rounds or so.

Daves-got-guns · February 5, 2007, 09:42 PM

thanx everybody. Ill go give her hell in alittle bit. I was worried about prying it off just cause i didnt want to ruin anything. So a spring flies out when you open it? that aint good. I just wanted to clean er up cause its probably almost 25 years old.

BillCA · February 6, 2007, 01:20 AM

Dave,

No springs should fly out, pop out or even be loose inside your S&W once the sideplate is removed.

Proper removal technique is to remove the grips, then remove all of the sideplate screws with a properly sized screwdriver blade (otherwise you'll bugger them up). With the screws removed, hold the gun upside down in your weak hand with the sideplate facing UP. Let your off-hand thumb rest just above the sideplate to keep it from going anywhere. Now, use the wooden handle of a light hammer and rap the grip frame squarely across both the backstrap and forestrap. It will likely take 2 to 4 swats to loosen the sideplate. If your sideplate pops off quickly, your thumb will prevent it from sliding around and possibly scratching other parts of the gun.

Once the sideplate is loose, set the gun down flat on the work surface in a normal orientation. Slowly lift the sideplate at the lower rear and slide it away from the hammer area (there is a sharp "tang" near the hammer you need to un-mate from the frame). Once the sideplate is off you have access to your action.

Note: The transfer safety bar on S&W's free floats in the channel cut in the underside of the sideplate. This should be the only "loose" part inside. Further disassembly is not required or recommended unless you have the proper tools for reassembly.

inkie · February 6, 2007, 02:52 AM

All of the instructions are very through so you should not have any trouble. I will warn you about one problem you will have on the old 3 screw guns. You must make sure not to switch sideplate screws especially the one in the front {above Trigger}. If not, it will not tighten up properly. This is the screw that locks the crane.

Daves-got-guns · February 9, 2007, 12:20 AM

very very good instructions. Got it off a piece of cake, cleaned all of the gunk in there and put it back together. I think that shaved about a pound off of the double action trigger pull, maybe a half a pound. Thanx again to all of the old timers who know whats up.

February 5, 2007, 08:16 AM	#1
Daves-got-guns Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2006 Location: Marysville Washington Posts: 291	smith wesson m19 i have my old grandfathers smith&wesson 19 and the side pannel will not come off, i take the 3 screws out i then remove the cylinder and the grip pannels but that side pannel will not budge. Any ideas?

February 5, 2007, 12:16 PM	#2
Wvladimire Member Join Date: February 4, 2007 Posts: 47	Stuck S&W side panel. First I would check on line for a downloadable owners manual or schematic drawing to see if you have removed everything you need. Secondly I would use a a good solvent like brake cleaner to help loosen the wide panel. Spray it, let it sit, spray it again, let sit, and do it a third time. That may help. After all it's probably got years of crude built up in it that is making it stick. Thanks

February 6, 2007, 02:52 AM	#9
inkie Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2006 Location: Eastern Pa. Posts: 137	daves got guns All of the instructions are very through so you should not have any trouble. I will warn you about one problem you will have on the old 3 screw guns. You must make sure not to switch sideplate screws especially the one in the front {above Trigger}. If not, it will not tighten up properly. This is the screw that locks the crane.

February 5, 2007, 12:34 PM	#3
JoeHatley Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 1999 Location: Iowa Posts: 2,135	Vibrate it off by smacking the grip frame with a plastic mallet or piece of wood. Joe

February 5, 2007, 12:59 PM	#4
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	Never attempt to pry off side plates - you will damage them .Whack the grip frame with a mallet.

February 5, 2007, 01:29 PM	#5
Rimrod Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Behind enemy lines Posts: 1,309	Right, it's not stuck, that's quality. When you tap it with your plastic mallet or piece of wood, hold it upside down with your hand directly underneath so it will fall into your hand. Then you can post another question and ask where that other piece goes that fell out too, if you can't figure it out. Never pry on a S&W sideplate.

February 5, 2007, 03:47 PM	#6
HSMITH Senior Member Join Date: June 22, 2002 Posts: 2,019	Dribble some oil in it, down around the hammer and then up through the trigger. They don't need to come off for cleaning but ever 25K rounds or so.

February 5, 2007, 09:42 PM	#7
Daves-got-guns Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2006 Location: Marysville Washington Posts: 291	thanx everybody. Ill go give her hell in alittle bit. I was worried about prying it off just cause i didnt want to ruin anything. So a spring flies out when you open it? that aint good. I just wanted to clean er up cause its probably almost 25 years old.

February 6, 2007, 01:20 AM	#8
BillCA Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2004 Location: Silicon Valley, Ca Posts: 7,116	Dave, No springs should fly out, pop out or even be loose inside your S&W once the sideplate is removed. Proper removal technique is to remove the grips, then remove all of the sideplate screws with a properly sized screwdriver blade (otherwise you'll bugger them up). With the screws removed, hold the gun upside down in your weak hand with the sideplate facing UP. Let your off-hand thumb rest just above the sideplate to keep it from going anywhere. Now, use the wooden handle of a light hammer and rap the grip frame squarely across both the backstrap and forestrap. It will likely take 2 to 4 swats to loosen the sideplate. If your sideplate pops off quickly, your thumb will prevent it from sliding around and possibly scratching other parts of the gun. Once the sideplate is loose, set the gun down flat on the work surface in a normal orientation. Slowly lift the sideplate at the lower rear and slide it away from the hammer area (there is a sharp "tang" near the hammer you need to un-mate from the frame). Once the sideplate is off you have access to your action. Note: The transfer safety bar on S&W's free floats in the channel cut in the underside of the sideplate. This should be the only "loose" part inside. Further disassembly is not required or recommended unless you have the proper tools for reassembly.

February 9, 2007, 12:20 AM	#10
Daves-got-guns Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2006 Location: Marysville Washington Posts: 291	very very good instructions. Got it off a piece of cake, cleaned all of the gunk in there and put it back together. I think that shaved about a pound off of the double action trigger pull, maybe a half a pound. Thanx again to all of the old timers who know whats up.